Button



Nav. 23, 193.7. R. c. BANGs BUTTON Filed Dec, '7, 1936 r si!!! fag/Jv IMn INVENTOR.

MTORNEYSv Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT ori-lcs BUTTON p l Ralph C.Bangs, Providence, R., I., assignor to l Coro-Gram, Inc., New York, N.Y., a. corporation of New York Application December 7, 1936, Serial No.114,563

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved button ofthe type which canbe applied to garments, shoesfovershoes, and all articles of wearingapparel.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a button having aremovable face member which is made of metal or other suitable material,said face member preferably having van initial or a decorated design orthe like formed thereon by lo embossing or by any other suitable means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which shall beextremely simple and which can be manufactured. and applied verycheaply.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth l in the followingdescription and drawing which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof,it being understood that the above statement of the objects of jmyinvention is intended generally to explain the same without limiting itin any manner. Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing one embodi ment of theinvention, the representation of part of the face member having beenbroken away so as to illustrate the construction more clearly.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the face meng???- Fig'. /i'isa top plan view showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on thel line --b of Fig. 4.

The embodiment of Figs. 1-3 has been illustrated in connection with abutton which is used on an overshoe. but it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to any particular use of the button.

Referring to Fig. 2, this shows the rubber material l of an overshoe,and the lining 2 thereof. The particulartype of button which isillustrated in this embodiment has an inner tapered metal member 3,which is hollow. This member 3 is provided with a corrugated iiange l.The member 3 is made of metal or other suitable material and theouterpart thereof is rigid while the base thereof is springy.

The member 3 is reinforced by an outer shell may have a color which isdifferent from the color of the exposed part of the face member 6.

Referring to Fig. 3, it can be seen that the cupshapeci face member 6 isprovided with slits 1a, so as to provide resilient tongues 8. The slits'la are formed at each side of each of the tongues 8 and said slitsextend int'o the skirt 6a of the face member ii. Said face member 6 cantherefore be stamped and shaped from a single pieceof metal. l

The tongues 8 have base portions 8a. which are substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the face member 6.

When the face member 6 is pressed upon the button proper, the resilienttongues 8 canlyield outwardly, Yuntil they abut the material of thearticle to whichfthe button proper is aiilxed. The base portions 8a ofthe tongues 8 thereforeact as stops.

The face member 6 can be formed of thin sheet metal but itissubstantially rigid due to the dome or cupshape thereof. However, theslits Ta. extend sufiiclently into the skirt 6a of the face member 6, soas to permit the face member 5 to be forced into position overthe-tapered button u proper.

The resilient construction which is provided by the slits- 'la causesthe face member t to clamp' the button proper, so that the face member Sis held securely. However, the face member S can be readily removed bybending the tongues 8 outwardly. The face member can be applied again tothe button member. This button member-is a complete button, even ifmember 6 is removed.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the button member 9 is made ofbone, mother of pearl, or any other suitable rigid material. It is acomplete operative button, without the face member. The inner or rearface of said button Q is provided with a recess lila, and thread holes Ila can be provided, by means of which the button 9 can be sewed to theshirt or other garment. The recess 10a is then adjacent the material ofthe garment. f

After the button 9 has thus been sewed to the garment, the face memberlil can be snapped into positionover the button 9. Said face member I0is made of metal or any other suitable material and it is provided witha plurality of outwardly extending resilient arms Il which are shaped toconform to the shape of the lateral surface of the button 9.

In this particular embodiment, I have shown four resilient arms Il, butany suitable number 91 511911 arms could be used. These arms arepreferably arranged in7 an opposed pair or in opposed pairs. The pitchdiameter of the tips of the arms Il is preferably less than`v thediameter of ,the lateral wall of the button 9. Hence, when thev facemember 6 is pressed into position, the arms Il are forced outwardly 'sothat they resiliently engage the lateral wall of the button 9, thus rmlyholdlngthe face member `lll in position.

As shown in Fig. 5, the inner or base side of the button 9 is preferablyprovided with an undercut portion 9a which is of smaller diameter thanthe diameter of the outer or upper part of the outer lateral wall of thebutton 9.. .'Ihe arms I I are'provided with inwardly bent curved tips'which snap underneath the shoulder which'is formed by this undercutportion 9a, so that the face member I0 is securely held in position.However, after the face member l0 has been applied, it can be easilyremoved by using a suit ableI tool, l'without'injuring said face memberl0, so thatsaid face member lllcan be reapplied to the button member 9.

' In practice, the retailer will have a stock'of the face members I0,formed with different initials and when the retailer sells a shirt orother lgarment, the facey members I0 will `be applied so asto displaythe initial of the customer. If the wrong initial has been lapp1ied,thiscan be easily removed.

Likewise if it is desired to launder or dry clean the garment, the-facemembers can be readily removed land replaced. y

'I- do not wish to be limited to any particular form, style or shape ofbutton,r or to'any particular use of the button. The button 9 could haveany polygonal shape, instead of being circularin shape. Hence, WheneverI refer to the transverse diameter of the button, I also refer to thetransverse dimension 'of a button which has a polygonal shape, such as ahexagon, an Octagon. etc.

'Ihe outer face of the button preferably snugly abuts the correspondingportion of the inner face of the face member, save where the initial 1orvother decoration has been outwardly embossed.

`In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the face member l@ hasa cup-shape in effect, due toy the configuration of the arms' Il.

'arms I I are separated in this embodiment. However, and as'prevlouslystated, any desired number of arms Il could be used, so that said armsIl couldbe-continuous,` save where they are separated by slits, so as toprovide the necessary resilience.`

In the embodimentv shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the slits 1a extend outwardlyso that the portions of the tongues 8 which abut the lateral surface ofthe button proper, are resilient and can spread outwardly whenV the facemember is forced into position.

I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is clear thatnumerous changes and omissions can be from its spirit.

-I claim: e

1. A composite button comprising a base memberwhich has an end-face andan inwardly extending .lateral skirt, and a. face memberalso having anend-face and an inwardly extending tapered lateral skirt, the inner endof the skirt of the'face member being open and of smaller 'diameterthanl the end-,face of the base member, said face member' enclosing saidbase member and being generally'cup-shaped and having its skirt providedwith pairs of slits which define inmade without departing termedlateresilient tongues, said tongues being suiciently deep and resilient topermit the inner end of the skirt ofthe face member to be forced overthe end-face of the base member.

2. A composite button comprising a base member which has an end-face anda lateral skirt, and a face member also having an end-face and a lateralskirt, said face member enclosing said base member and being generallycup-shaped and having its skirt providedwith pairs of slits which deneintermediate resilient tongues,` said tongues having lateral extensionswhich extend outwardly relative to said skirt of the face member, theskirt of the face member being tapered inwardly from the end-face ofsaid cup-shaped face member, said base member having a shape which isgenerally the same as tnat of the face member, said slits being ofsuiicient depth to cause said tongues to yield outwardly suiciently soas to enable the skirt of the face member to be forced into positionover the end-face of the :facev member, so as to enclose the skirt ofthe base member.

RALPH C. BANGS.

